Securing the smart home

Making the internet of things work for you

The internet of things is slowly becoming a more recognised term, incorporating all the smart gadgets that work with your smartphone around the home. And, one of the most popular things for smart homeowners is security.

Smart cameras

Most gadgets within the internet of things remit are operated through a Wi-Fi network, with a smartphone being right at the centre of everything. And, smart home security is no different.

Belkin’s F7D7601uk wireless camera (catchy title, we know) gives you the ability to check in on your home via a live stream straight to your phone. There’s also an inbuilt mic and speaker so you can listen to what’s happening and speak to your home through your smartphone. A great feature to help deter unwanted guests, perhaps.

No light? No problem. The camera has infrared night vision on board, so if you’ve just put baby down for a nap, for example, and fancy some alone time, you can still keep an eye out while being in the other room.

Smart sensors

Realistically, you can’t sit and watch your home via your smartphone 24/7. You could employ someone to do this, if you’re particularly flush, but if that was the case you could just have them sit in your house in the first place - thus registering smart home security, and this article, completely redundant.

So, in deference to that, check out Samsung’s multi sensors. It attaches to windows or doors and can turn lights on as soon as you walk in the room, start a camera recording (handy if you’ve got that Belkin camera we mentioned above), and sense temperature change.

Its main function, however, is the ability to detect when and if a window or door is opened. If this happens without your knowing about it, you’ll get a notification direct to your phone.

Nest Protect

For the past 350 words, we’ve been going on about stopping things from the outside getting inside - but what about the stuff that’s already in?

Nest Protect is designed to keep you and your family safe by detecting and alerting you to smoke, carbon monoxide, fast and slow-burning fire and even if the battery is running low (in a much better way than random beeps in the middle of the night).

Just like its smart home buddies above, it’s connected to your smartphone - allowing you to know exactly what’s going on and where.

Just burnt the toast? Silence the alarm with a quick tap on your phone. Need to know if the batteries will survive while you’re on holiday? Just check the app. It even check its own systems 400 times a day, so you’ll know straight away if something wrong.